Not just for Christmas: 10 reasons to hit Finnish Lapland

A trip to Finnish Lapland to see Santa Claus, his reindeer and the elves is the stuff of childhood dreams. The irony is, you’ll probably enjoy it even more as an adult.

When the Yuletide bubbly has fizzled out and those rich, childish imaginings fade, this Arctic region that caps the northern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula offers a wintry, European experience that’ll provide enough tales for many a future Christmas dinner.

1. Gold

Get lucky and you could go home in profit.

There's gold in them there Lapland river valleys. It was first discovered in the Ivalojoki river valley in 1868, prompting a mini-gold rush.

But there's still a little to be found by lucky and/or determined prospectors.

When the rivers thaw, locals and tourists alike get panning, hoping to come upon a life-changing nugget.

A 251-gram nugget was once found in the Miessijoki river, but many tourists head for the museum at the Tankavaara Gold Village, where the Finnish Open Goldpanning competition takes place every July and visitors can pan for gold all year round.

2. Lip-licking Lappish food

Cold outside, delicious inside.

Fans of Rudolph look away now -- reindeer features heavily in the local cuisine.

It's fat free, healthy and wonderfully gamey, but if eating one of Santa's beloved sleigh-pullers is a step too far, there are plenty of other Lappish delicacies to explore.

5. Brag-worthy winter sports

There's nothing you can do in Val D'Isere or St. Moritz that you can't do in the ski resorts of Lapland.

There's downhill, cross-country and freestyle skiing and snowboarding, you can walk the forest trails with snowshoes or have your face whipped by the fresh mountain air courtesy a snowmobile.

From Yllas to Levi, Luosto to Pyha, the resorts are quiet with a laid-back, family-friendly feel, ideal for beginners, experts and posers alike.

6. Aurora borealis

Santa's not home, but the lights are on.

Since most of Lapland is situated within the Arctic Circle, it's an ideal spot to watch the northern lights. According to ancient legend, an arctic fox, whose swishing tail sends sparkling lights into the sky, creates the aurora borealis.

Dancing displays of green, red and blue lights can be seen on clear, dark nights when conditions are right.

Stay there: Rovaniemi is the gateway to Finnish Lapland, so Lapland Hotel Sky Ounasvaara, on a mountain overlooking the town, makes for a great base to go exploring. Lapland Hotels also has properties in resorts around the region, from Levi to Luosto.